Sheftic helps lead U.S. PGA Cup team to victory
Merion Golf Club teaching pro Mark Sheftic won his singles match Sunday to help lead the United States to victory over Great Britain/Ireland in the PGA Cup.
Sheftic helps lead U.S. PGA Cup team to victory
Mark Sheftic, a teaching pro at Merion Golf Club, recorded a 1-up victory over John Wells of England to help lead the United States to victory Sunday over Great Britain/Ireland in the 25th PGA Cup at San Martin, Calif.
The United States captured a 17 ½-8 ½ win over its guests at CordeValle.
Sheftic, of Blue Bell, posted a 3-2 record for his five matches during the weekend in the competition for club professionals. He wrapped up his play Sunday by coming back from being 2-down at the turn.
Starting with No. 10, Sheftic won four consecutive holes to reverse the advantage and go 2-up. After the two contestants traded wins at 14 and 15, Wells won the 17th with a par to send the match to 18 with Sheftic holding a 1-up lead.
But Sheftic got the halv he needed with a par-5 at the final hole to pick up a point. The United States won the single matches by a count of 7-3.
Sheftic and his partner, David Hutsell of Baltimore, winner of the PGA Professional National Championship last June at Hershey Country Club, split their four matches on Friday and Saturday.
They swept through their Friday matches, defeating Simon Edwards and David Shacklady, 3 and 2, in four-ball (better-ball) with the aid of nine birdies, and then winning 6 and 5 over John Kennedy and David Mortimer in foursomes (alternate-shot).
Sheftic and Hutsell did not fare as well on Saturday, dropping their four-ball, 2 and 1, to Edwards and Shacklady, and their foursomes, 2-up, to Wells and Gary Brown.
This is the second time Sheftic has been part of a winning U.S. PGA Cup team, having been a part of the 2009 victory at Loch Lomond, Scotland.
The United States now holds a 17-5-3 lead in the series. It has never lost the matches on home turf.
--Joe Juliano
